Detachable button for garments



Sept. 23, 1952 4 D A $E|LER 2,611,167

DETACHABLE BUTTON FOR GARMENTS Filed sept. 27, 195o Patenteti Sept. 23, 1.9572

DETACHABLE BUTTON FOR GARMNTS Dayton A. Seiler, Elizabethton, Tenn., assignor to Mollie H. Seiler, Elizabethton, Tenn.

Appucation september 27, 195o, serial No. 187,071

7 Claims.

My invention relates broadly to the detachable buttons for garments and more particularly to a simplified construction of retaining means for detachable buttons.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved construction of button attaching and detaching device for fastening buttons to garments.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of angularly shiftable retaining means for quickly attaching and detaching buttons on garments.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a simplified assembly of a two element device mounted on the rear of a button and angularly shiftable to positions enabling the button to be attached or detached from a garment for lfacilitating laundering.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement attachment and detachment means for buttons constructed from wire members readily assembled in relation to the rear of a button where the wire members are mutually displaceable to positions facilitating the attachment and detachment of the button with respect to a garment.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in a construction ofv fastening device for buttons capable of manufacture at low cost on a mass production scale as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the rear of a button equipped with the fastening device of my invention in which the parts of the fastening device are moved to the position of attachment and detachment with respect to a garment; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts of the fastening device moved to a position for retaining the button in position with respect to the garment; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the button of Fig. 1 on line 3-3 thereof and showing the parts of the fastening device extending through the buttonhole of a garment during the attachment or detachment of the button with respect to the garment; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig.-2 and showing the parts of the fastening device moved to a position for retaining the button with respect to the garment; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the button and fastening means on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is'a transverse sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on line 'i4-1 of Fig.

4 showing the position of the parts of the fastening device for the button with respect to the buttonhole of a garment; Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the coacting parts of the fastening device of my invention; Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 8 and illustrating more particularly the construction of strap which interconnects the parts of the fastening device; Fig. 9A is a` fragmentary sectional view taken on line 9A-9A of Fig. 2 and illustrating the manner of attachment of one of the parts ofthe fastening device to the rear of the button; Fig. l0 is a rear elevational View of a modified form of my invention showing the parts of the fastening device in position in which the buttonl may be attached or detached from the garment; Fig. 11 is a viewsimilar to the view shown in Fig. 10 but showing the parts of the fastening device movedr to a position retaining the button with respect to the garment; Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken on line I2-I2 of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken on line l3-I3 of Fig. 11; Fig. 14 is a perspective View of the rear plate of the modified form of button illustrated in Figs. 10-13; Fig. 15 `is a perspective view of the coacting parts of the modified form of fastening device illustratedV in Figs. 10-14; and Fig. 16is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner of attaching one of the coacting parts of the fastening device to the rear plate of the button.

Myinvention is directed to a simplified construction of fastening device for quickly attaching and detaching buttons to garments in facilitating laundering. Ornamental or decorative buttons generally used on uniforms must be removed frorn a soiled uniform priorr t o laundering and again attached to the uniform after laundering. Fastening devices which have vbeen proposed for this purpose are generally expensive to produce and involve connecting means which are readily subject to injury with resulting inoperativeness. Other forms of buttons generally used involve an eyelet extending fromthe rear of the button and passing through the garment to a position where it may be engaged by a resilient key device. yThese unattached key devices often become misplaced making it necessary to resort to some unsatisfactory expedient in order to maintain the detachable button in position with respect to the garment. The fastening means of my invention is formed by a pair of Wire members, one of which is fastened tothe rear of the button and the otherof which is orientatable with yrespect to the rst wire member from a position in which the wire members' ex- 3 tend adjacent each other facilitating the attachment and detachment of the button through the buttonholes of a garment to a position in which the wire members extend in linear or 180 relationship for retaining the button with respect to the buttonhole of a garment. The wire members constituting the parts of the fastening device are vvery readily and inexpensively yproduced on a mass production scale and the assembly with respect to the button is an inexpensive one on mass production scaleA so that the fastening means of my invention con- Y stitutes a most practical and desirable improvement.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character I designates the rear plateof an `ornamental or decorative front cover 2 secured by circular peripheral rim 3 over the rear plate I. The rear plate I carries a struck-out lug stop 4 shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6, the lug stop 4 being integrally connected with the material of the rear plate I. Protuberances or struck-out knobs 5 and 6 are provided in rear plate I disposed on a transverse line through the button displaced from a diametrical line through the button by a-distance approximately equal to the diameter-bf the arm 9b of the orientatable wire member 9 of the fastening device. This displacement enables the arm 9b of the orientatablerwiremember r94 to be moved from a position tangential to one side of protuberance or struekfeut knob I5 in Fig. 1 to a position tangential to the oppsite side of rprotuberance or struck-out knob 5 as represented in Fig. 2, that is a latched position for the orientatable mem,- ber 9.

The orientatable member coacts with a U-shaped wire member shown at 'I and which is provided with an upwardly projecting end 1a, a substantially parallel extending Portion in spaced relation thereto represented at Ib and an intermediate vertically extending connecting portion represented at 1c.` rlfhe portion 'Ib is permnly 'tfhe. the fom 0f my inl/en' tion shown in Figs. 1--9AV by spot welding or soldering in a position midway between the protuberance or struck-.out knobs and 0 disposed radially of the rear plate I in such manner that the intermediate portion 'Ic projects rearwardly from the platel at the center of the plate. The portion 'Ia of the U-.shaped member 'I` extends in spaced relation to the portion 1b and directly over tliesaid portion 'Ib having distance sunlcient for the entry of portion Ia through the button hole of a gar-mentand adequate to ern-v brace tlie thickness of the fabric of the garment. U-shaped member 'I forms the stationary part of the two part fastener of which orientatabl member 9 constitutes the second part.

[The orientatable member` 9 includes the movable armsV Sie and '9b interconnected by the intermediate portion 9c, the arms 9a and 9b be ing displaced/at 90 with respect to each other. Arm 9a serves as v a finger grip bywhich the orientatable member :9 maybe swung from the position illustrated in Fig.' 1 where arm 9a is immediately adjacent the portion 'Ia of L J-shaped member 'I to a position in which arm 9a is disT placed approximately 180 in the opposite direction withrespect to portion 'Ia as represented in Fig. 2. This orientation is made possible by the strap connection 8 which encircles portion 'Ic of U-,shaped member I and the intermediatek part Se of orientatable wire member 9. Thus arm y9b is shiftable from the position illustratedin Fig. 1 tangent to protuberance or struck-out knob- 6 to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 tangent to the opposite side of protuberance or struck-out knob 5. Because of the fact that orientatable wire member 9 is formed from resilient material a latching elect is obtained as arm 9b is forced over the protuberances 6 and 5 enabling the orientatable member to be Vreta-ined in either of two limiting positions, one extreme position being shown in Fig. 1 and the other extreme posi tion being shown in Fig. 2. The abutment forming the lug stop 4 limits the movement of arm 9b in a clockwise direction while abutment of arm '9a with portions of 'Ia of U-shaped member 1 limits the movement of orientatable member 9 in a counter-clockwise direction. The lug stop 4 is displaced in a position on the opposite side of a diametrical line through the plate I for a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the wire forming the arm 9b sufficient to allow resilient arm 9b to yield upwardly over protuberance or struckfout knob 5 as it is angularly shifted under control of 9a and` to latch behind protuberance or struck-out knob 5. To enable this to be accomplished'the resilient arm 9b is biased in a direction toward the .plate I where it tendsI to continuously contact thesurface of plate I as arm 9a is angularly shifted from a position where it extends substantially parallel to portion la of U-shapedmember 1, as represented in Fig. 1 in which the button may be attached and detached from the garment, to a position extending in substantially tbe'opposite direction with respect to portion, la or U- Shaped member l, as represented in Fig, 2 Where the button is retained in position with respect to algarment,

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown the two extreme positions of the coacting portlonfla and arma with respect to the layers o f fabric I0 and II forming the garment. In Fig, 3 it will be seen that the button may be readily attached anddetached with respect to the buttonlioles Illa and Ila in the layers offabric I0. and II whereas in the arrangement shown in Fig. i the button is retained in position by the extension of portion Ia of U-shaped member I andarm 9a in substantielly diemen-really opposite directions. The strap t which enoircles portions Ic and Sc is relatively fiatY and is capable Qf extending through the. buttonholes |041 and! la in the layers O f fabric l0 and I lrwithout distorting the. fabric.

In Figs. 1046 I have shown a modified construction of the button` of my invention in which a plate i2`seeuredasvbefere to. the rim 3 0l en ornamental or decorative front surfaceis p rovided with. three protuberanees or Struekjfeut knobsdisposed in relationship to each other es represented@ I4.. I5 and.` le. In a radial line extending through protuberaneeor struck-out knob I4, I provide spaced luge l1., I8 and I9 between which the radially extending portion 2Gb of U-shaped member 20 may be inserted with an eyelet 20d, carried by the extremity of radially extending portion 20h. and, confined around protuberance or struckfout knob I4; This arrangement eliminates the necessityy of permanently fastening Ll-shaped member 2U t0. plate I2 by Spot welding or soldering as is the ease in. the form of my invention shown in Figs. l-QA. In this arrangement the radiallyrextendng portion 2Gb is fastened to plate I2.by rolling lugs I1, I8, and I9 over the radially extending portion 2013 1n alternately opposite directions. for securely fastening the radially extending portion 20h centered by coaction of eyelet 20d with pro- 5 tuberance I4 in a position disposed radially oi' plate I. The radially extending portion 2Gb of U-shaped member 20 connects-through the intermediate portion 2Ilic with the spaced substantially parallel extending portion 20a which embraces the layers of the fabricV of the garment shown at l and I I. The U-shaped member 20 extends in a radial direction froml the center of the plate I2 with the intermediate portion 28e disposed at the center of the plate.

The movable member which coacts with U- shaped member 2U is shown at 22 as comprising movable arm 22a, a latching arm 22h extending at right angles vthereto and in a plane spaced from the plane of arm 22a through the connection provided by spiral loops 22e pivotally embracing intermediate portion 20c of U-shaped member 20. Orientation of movable member 22 is restricted by stop-2| arranged in relation to protuberance or struck-out knob I6 as shown more clearly in Figs. 10, 11 and 14 in amanner similar to the arrangement of abutment stop with respect to protuberance or struck-out knob illustrated in the form of my invention shown in Figs. land 2. The arm 22h is resilient and is biased toward the surface of plate I2 so that as the arm 22h is orientated from the position shown in Fig. 10, in which the button may be attached or detached with respect to the garment, to the position illustrated in Fig. 11, in which the button is conned with respect to the garment by the diametrically opposite extension of movable arm 22a in relation to the radial position of portion Za of U-shaped member 20. Fig. 13 illustrates the position in which the detachable button is confined through the buttonholes of the layers of the garments IU and I l.

I have found the construction of detachable button set forth herein highly practical in manufacture and production and while I have described my invention in certain of its preferred embodiments, I realize that modifications may be made and I desire that it be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. An attachable and detachable button for garments comprising a rear plate for a button, a U-shaped wire member extending in a plane normal to the plane of the said plate, said U- shaped wire member including a pair of spaced arms interconnected by an intermediate portion with one of said arms fastened to said plate and the other of said arms extending in spaced relation thereto, a movable member comprising a pair of arms extending at an angle to each other and interconnected by an intermediate portion, means pivotally connecting the said intermediate portion of said movable member with the intermediate portion of said U-shaped member, said movable member having one of its arms movable in a plane coplanar with the plane of one of the arms of said U-shaped member and having the other of the movable arms biased in a direction toward said plate and movable thereover and means carried by said plate for effecting a latching operation between said movable member and said plate for retaining the coacting arms of said U-shaped member and said movable member in a position for detachably connecting the button with the fabric of a garment.

2. An attachable and detachable button for the buttonhole of a garment comprising a rear plate,ay U-shaped wire member including a pair of spaced arms interconnected by an intermediate portion, said. arms and intermediate portion extending in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said plate, a movable member pivoted to the intermediate portion'ofsaid U-jshaped membersaid movable member including a pair of arms extending at an angle With respect to each other withone of saidY arms being movable in .a plane vcoplanar with the arm oi said U- shapedmember which is remotely spaced from said plate, the other of the arms of said movable member beingv resiliently biased in the direction of said plate-andbeing movable'from a position substantially parallel with.y the last mentioned arm of said U-.s'haped member to a position extending i'n a substantially linear direction away from the intermediate portion of said U-shaped member- 'andv means for latching Ythe last mentioned arm of said movable member wtih respect to said plate in either of tvvolimitingA positions of said movable member. K

3. An attachable and detachable button for the buttonhole of a garment comprisingV a plate having a pair of spaced protuberances disposed on a lateral line through the plate displaced away from the diametrical axis of the plate, an abutment stop carried by the plate and displaced from said protuberances on the opposite side of a diametrical line through said plate, a U-shaped wire member including a pair of arms disposed in spaced relation and interconnected by an intermediate portion, said arms and intermediate portion being arranged coplanar in a plane normal to the plane of said plate with one of said arms fastened to said plate in a position intermediate said protuberances and with the intermediate portion of said U-shaped Wire member disposed coincidently with the center of said plate and a movable member comprising a pair of arms disposed at an angle to each other and interconnected by an intermediate portion, means pivotally connecting the last mentioned intermediate portion of said movable wire member with the intermediate portion of said U-shaped wire member, one of the arms of said movable member operating in a plane coplanar With the arm of said U-shaped Wire member remote from the plane of said plate and the other of the arms of said movable member being resiliently biased toward said plate whereby said movable member is oriented with respect to said U-shaped member, said biased arm may be unlatched and latched With respect to said protuberances within limits imposed by said U-shaped member on the one hand and said abutment stop on the other hand.

4. An attachable and detachable button for the buttonhole of a garment as set forth in claim 3 in which the means pivotally interconnecting said movable member with said U-shaped member is constituted by a strap extending in a direction coincident with the direction of the lateral axis through said protuberances for facilitating the passage of said U-shaped member and said movable member through the buttonhole of a garment.

5. An attachable and detachable button for the buttonhole of a garment as set forth in claim 3 in which the arms of said movable member are spaced fromeach other approximately and in which the arm of said movable member which operates in a plane coplanar with the arm of said U-shaped member remote from said plate 7 may be grasped by' the fingers to impart movement to the other arm of said movable member through a distance of approximately 180.

6. An attachable and detachable button for the buttonhole of a garment comprising a plate including protuberances struck out from the rear of the plate in positions approximately 90 from each other, a U-shaped wire memberv including a pair of spaced arms interconnected by an intermediate portion with said intermediate portion disposed coincidental with the center of said plate and said arms extending radially therefrom, an eyelet carried by the extremity of one of said arms and encircling one of the protuberances on said plate, lugs carried by' said plate and securing the said last mentioned arm in position, a movable wire member' includinga pair of angularly spaced arms interconnected by an intermediate portion encircling the inter'- mediate portion of said U-fshaped wire member, said movablev wire member being shiftable through a distance of approximately 180 from a position in which one` of the spaced arms of said movable member extends immediately adjacent one of the arms'of said U-shaped member to a position in which the last mentioned arm of the movable member extends in a direction which is substantially opposite to the direction of the last mentioned arm of said U-shaped member, the others of said protuberances on said plate serving as latching means in coaction with said movableA member.

7. An attachable and detachable button for the buttonhole of a garment as set forth in claim 6 in which said movable member includes a multiplicity of convolutions which embrace the intermediate portion of said U-shaped member and serve as a pivoting and guide means for said movable Wire member for shifting' said mov able` wire' member to either of two limiting po; sitions;

DAYTN A. SELE'R.

REFERENCES CTED The following iflende's' are Of rcord the file' of this patent:v

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Frank .Ya `e r v Junev 25, 1929 Numberv 

